Now Stream This: 'The King Of Comedy', 'Creepshow', 'Burn After Reading', 'The Last Exorcism', 'Empire Of Dreams', And More

Release Date: 1981Genre: Dark ComedyDirector: Martin ScorseseCast: Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Sandra Bernhard

Todd Phillips's Joker is getting lots of headlines even though the film hasn't even come out yet. So while you're waiting to see what Phillips has cooked-up, why not check out one of the major influences on that film: Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy. Like Joker, King of Comedy is about a lonely loser who fancies himself a comedian, but he's really just mentally disturbed. Robert De Niro as Rupert Pupkin, who wants nothing more than to be a guest on the Tonight Show-like nightly comedy show hosted by Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis). Since he can't get there through talent, Rupert decides to stalk and eventually take Jerry hostage instead. This was a flop when it opened in 1981, but time has been kind to Scorsese's oddball movie, reappraising it as one of his best.

For fans of: After Hours, Joker anticipation, terrible fashion.

Release Date: 2019Genre: Horror Anthology SeriesDirector: VariousCast: David Arquette, Adrienne Barbeau, Tobin Bell, Giancarlo Esposito, Tricia Helfer, Dana Gould, and moreGreg Nicotero has resurrected George Romero and Stephen King's classic horror anthology film into a new series for Shudder. Each episode of the Creepshow TV series features two tales of terror, adapted from horror greats like King, Joe Hill, and more. It's all done in the same good, spooky fun as the film, and boasts some wonderful practical effects to make things extra special. It's a horror fan's dream come true. So if you don't have Shudder yet, subscribe immediately.For fans of: Creepshow, Tales from the Darkside, horror easter eggs.

Release Date: 2008Genre: ComedyDirector: The Coen BrothersCast: George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, Brad Pitt

If you want to see the film that best reflects our absolutely ridiculous, confusing, downright stupid American political climate, look no further than Burn After Reading, the darkly hilarious 2008 comedy from the Coen Brothers. A rag-tag cast of characters – played by George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, and Brad Pitt, all get caught up in a ludicrous plot involving espionage. As J.K. Simmons' CIA character so perfectly sums things up at the end: "I'm fucked if I know what we did."

For fans of: Fargo, A Serious Man, Brad Pitt playing total idiots.

Release Date: 2010Genre: HorrorDirector: Daniel StammCast: Patrick Fabian, Ashley Bell, Iris Bahr, Louis Herthum

Found footage gets a bad wrap, but there are some gems buried in the sub-genre. One is The Last Exorcism, an effective creeper about reverend (Patrick Fabian) who has lost his faith. Rather than stay a man of God, he hopes to instead expose the hypocrisy of the church by pointing out that exorcisms are phony, bringing a camera crew along with him. Of course, since this is a horror movie, the allegedly possessed person – a seemingly sweet farm girl named Nell (Ashley Bell) – really is possessed. Bell's performance is fantastic, violently changing from sweet kindness to demonic harshness in the blink of an eye.

For fans of: The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Grave Encounters, twisty, creaky bone sound effects.

Release Date: 2019Genre: EverythingDirector: Jim MickleCast: Boyd Holbrook, Cleopatra Coleman, Michael C. Hall, Bokeem WoodbineJim Mickle helms this ambitious blend of genres that doesn't quite stick the landing, but comes pretty damn close. In the Shadow of the Moon is a hybrid of sci-fi, horror, mystery, thriller, and action, telling the story of a mysterious killer (Cleopatra Coleman) who keeps resurfacing every 9 years. And every time she shows up, obsessed cop Boyd Holbrook tries to bring her down. What are the killer's motives? And why is she killing such random victims in such gruesome ways? All will be revealed...sort of. But one thing is for sure: you'll never be bored.For fans of: Looper, Arrival, parts of Canada pretending to be Philadelphia.

Release Date: 2004Genre: DocumentaryDirector: Kevin Burns and Edith BeckerCast: George Lucas and all of his flannel shirtsEmpire of Dreams has been available in chunks on the official Star Wars YouTube account, but now you can watch the entire thing at once on Amazon Prime. This in-depth look at the making of the original Star Wars trilogy is filled with movie magic, showing the birth of ILM, and more. It's a glimpse inside the creative process that went into crafting what would eventually become a billion-dollar franchise. And it's a reminder that before all that happened, this was really a scruffy little pulp sci-fi flick with practical effects and a script no one really took seriously.For fans of: Star Wars – duh.

Release Date: 1997Genre: Drama-ThrillerDirector: Lee TamahoriCast: Anthony Hopkins, Alec Baldwin, Elle Macpherson, Harold Perrineau, Bart the Bear

To hell with Leonardo DiCaprio and his battle with a CGI bear in The Revenant. Lee Tamahori's The Edge has Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin going up against a real bear. This tight thriller, with a script from David Mamet, has Hopkins and Baldwin as two men stranded in the wilderness following a plane crash. Hopkins's character has read a lot of books, so he knows many tricks on how to survive in the wild. But none of those tricks can stand up against a giant Kodiak bear out to devour them whole.

For fans of: The Revenant, The Grey, dudes getting eaten by bears.

Release Date: 2016Genre: DocumentaryDirector: Jon NguyenCast: David Lynch

Want to know how David Lynch became David Lynch? David Lynch: The Art of Life has your answer. Think of this documentary as the David Lynch origin story, as it tracks his life up until the making of his first feature, Eraserhead. We learn about his childhood, his college years, and more. Lynch himself is on hand to guide us through it all, constantly painting, and constantly smoking, in his personal studio. It's a unique insight into a unique mind.

For fans of: David Lynch, chain-smoking.

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It's hard to picture Hollywood making a movie like The River Wild these days. This was a major motion picture, folks! Now, it would probably go right to Netflix. This thriller stars Meryl Streep as a history teacher who is also an expert river guide. She takes her family – husband David Strathairn, son Joseph Mazzello – for a rafting trip down the Salmon River. Unfortunately, they're soon taken hostage by a pair of fugitives, played by Kevin Bacon and John C. Reilly, who force Streep to take them upriver. Adventure ensues! It's a rather silly premise, but director Curtis Hanson has fun with it, and it's rare to see Streep in this type of thriller role.

For fans of: The Mosquito Coast, Deliverance, David Stratharin being an action hero.

Release Date: 1996Genre: ActionDirector: Robert MandelCast: Tom Berenger, Ernie Hudson, Marc Anthony, William Forsythe, Raymond Cruz, Luis Guzmán

There was a weird period where Hollywood was pumping out movies about teachers who go into tough, inner-city schools and clean things up. Some were meant to be inspirational (Dangerous Minds), and then some were meant to be trash – like The Substitute. I say trash lovingly here, folks, because sometimes you just need to kick back with some junk food. Tom Berenger plays a Vietnam veteran who goes undercover as a substitute teacher at the school where his girlfriend, a teacher played by Diane Venora, was attacked. It's kind of like Kindergarten Cop, but with a lot more violence and inappropriateness. Worth noting: this spawned an entire franchise.

For fans of: The Principal, Kindergarten Cop, trained killers posing as educators.